Activists Protest Private Prisons
Posted June 15, 2015 08:41 am
TALLAHASSEE,
FL - Activists are protesting tax breaks for the $3
billion private prison industry,
which runs seven facilities in
Florida. They protested at a
real estate conference in New
York last week about a loophole
that lets private prison
companies claim to be in the
real estate business, which lets
them pay less income tax.
"That's just more money that they can use to buy politicians, to buy the kinds of laws that are criminalizing people of color, poor people and immigrants," said Ian Trupin, an organizer for the Responsible Endowments Coalition.
Boca
Raton-based Geo Group, the
second largest private prison
company in the United States,
says it is providing a public
service. Opponents such as
Trupin are leery of the campaign
donations the firms have made to
prominent politicians such as
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.,
and Gov. Rick Scott.
"Coinciding with their support
of Rick Scott, they actually won
three federal contracts last
year," Trupin said. "This kind
of relationship actually really
shows the connection between
their ability to lobby
politicians and get new
contracts."
Several Florida activist groups
are pushing cities and
universities in the Sunshine
State to divest their holdings
in private prison corporations.
Photos/graphics; links: added/updated by the Observer
Photos: EqualJusticeIniative & JusticePolicyCenter
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